Zinc carbonate

Zinc carbonate is the inorganic compound with the formula ZnCO₃. It is a white solid that is insoluble in water. It exists in nature as the mineral smithsonite. It is prepared by treating cold solutions of zinc sulfate with potassium bicarbonate. Upon warming, it converts to basic zinc carbonate (Zn₅(CO₃)₂(OH)₆).<ref name="Georg">Template:Cite book</ref>

Structure

File:Calcium-carbonate-xtal-3D-SF.png

Zinc carbonate crystallizes in the same dense motif as calcium carbonate. Color code: red = O, green = Zn.

Zinc carbonate adopts the same structure as calcite (calcium carbonate).<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Zinc is octahedral and each carbonate is bonded to six Zn centers such that oxygen atoms are three-coordinate.

Cited sources

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